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Deragoth
The Deragoth were large canine-like creatures. The name was short for "Dera'tin'jeragoth", meaning Hounds of Darkness in the Tiste Andii language. Osric claimed that he originated the name, stating that the creatures were probably not related to Mother Dark, that he merely thought the name appropriate based on their characteristics and that they likely had no connection to the pantheonic Darkness. According to Osric, the creatures gave their name to Seven Cities although this was forgotten history and only the number survived, even the cities were not the original ones anymore.House of Chains, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.818/819 They were described as midnight-black, the size of antlered cattle, and they moved with a casual arrogance.House of Chains, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.814 They had strangely humped shoulders, thick, long necks, and broad flattened heads. Their eyes burned empty of light. They were the size of steppe horses, but bulkier by far, and reminded the onlooker of a hyena as well as a plains bear.House of Chains, Chapter 25, UK MMPB p.961 To the annoyance of the Nameless Ones, Dessimbelackis made a pact with the beasts.House of Chains, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.818 The Deragoth hunted with mankind's ancestors, the Eres'al, and seemed to be the dominating half of the partnership.House of Chains, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.814/818/819 In House of Chains ] Onrack and Trull Sengar came across seven huge statues in the Nascent, two of which to Onrack's senses were alive. The dog-like edifices were over twenty times the height of a man and made of a smooth black stone. Onrack and Trull pondered if there might be a connection between Dessimbelackis and the Hounds of Darkness. Onrack then attacked one of the statues, freeing the two which were alive, thinking he could best them. As it was, they mauled and shook him to the point that he was sundered from the Vow of Tellann, then disappeared.House of Chains, Chapter 9, UK MMPB p.441-447 L'oric traveled through memory-warrens and encountered the seven Deragoth in the past. He observed how they and the semi-human creatures who ran with them killed two K'Chain Che'Malle K'ell Hunters. The Hounds then turned on L'oric who was plucked away at the last moment by his father, Osric. Osric explained that Dessimbelackis had once made a pact with the seven beasts, much to the Nameless One's dismay, and their number gave name to the Seven Cities subcontinent. Osric further noted that their presence in this place, Raraku's memory, was likely due to the collapse of the First Empire.House of Chains, Chapter 21, UK MMPB p.814-820 Kalam Mekhar saw a host of ghosts outside Sha'ik's camp in Raraku, amongst them two who in their conversation made allusion to 'seven protectors' who seemed to be connected to Dessimbelackis. The ghosts mentioned that five of the seven were no more, a sixth would not recover and the black beast itself had been banished from the realm according to the Nameless Ones. Kalam then spoke to the spirit of Tanno, the last Seneschal of Yaraghatan, who said he had been banished by the First Emperor for his treasonous alliance with the Nameless Ones and who alluded that there was far more to the Seven Protectors than people realised.House of Chains, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.793-795 Soon after, Kalam Mekhar observed a group of Pardu who did not seem to be part of the Whirlwind Army. The shaman amongst them conducted a ritual which resulted in two Deragoth appearing who promptly killed those who had called them. One of them then turned on Kalam who was only able to flee after he had called five Azalan demons to save him.House of Chains, Chapter 20, UK MMPB p.796-798 The two Deragoth visited Sha'ik's camp in Raraku, seeking a new master according to Bidithal.House of Chains, Chapter 25, UK MMPB p.933 They were killed by Karsa Orlong.House of Chains, Chapter 25, UK MMPB p.961-964 In The Bonehunters When the D'ivers Dejim Nebrahl was freed from its prison, it recalled that it had been captured and imprisoned some time after the fall of the human First Empire, with the help of the Deragoth, who at the time obeyed an unnamed 'clever master'.The Bonehunters, Prologue, UK MMPB p.32/33 Ganoes Paran, Hedge and Ganath arrived in the Nascent with a Trygalle Trade Guild carriage and discussed the five remaining Deragoth statues. According to Paran, the two missing ones had been united with their counterparts, the two Hounds of Shadow which he had released from Dragnipur, before being freed by someone. Hedge then recounted what he knew of their demise in Raraku and Ganath added that Dessimbelackis had hoped to achieve immortality by dividing his soul into the seven Deragoth, which was all that had remained of the once more numerous beasts.The Bonehunters, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.560/561 Close-up, Paran observed that the dull black stone of the statues, which depicted the Hounds sat on their haunches, was appallingly lifelike in its depiction of hide and muscle. At the base of one, they found a temple erected by worshippers of the Hounds whose tracks indicated people with very wide feet. Inside were the remains of Sedora Orr and Darpareth Vayd, two missing members of the Trygalle, who had been butchered in what looked like a ritual spilling of blood. Ganath and Paran suspected that a Shaman had been involved and that the Hounds, once freed might well pursuit the person. Paran summoned Shadowthrone, warning him he was about to awake the five Deragoth whom he needed to hunt Dejim Nebrahl. As they would likely first hunt their shadows, the remaining five Hounds of Shadow, Paran advised the ascendant to send these to Seven Cities to avoid the Deragoth tearing up his realm. Hedge then destroyed the statues with Moranth munitions which released the Deragoth. The Trygalle carriage with Paran and the others just made it out via Warren as one released Hound began a sprint to attack them. The Deragoth left the place soon after, observed by Hedge who had remained behind.The Bonehunters, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.562-571/574 The five Deragoth pursued the Hounds of Shadow throughout Seven Cities. This pursuit may have ceased following the events in G'danisban involving Poliel. In Toll the Hounds The Hounds of Shadow were aware of creatures pursuing them, presumably the Deragoth, but found "exquisite pleasure" in being hunted and chose to not turn on their hunters.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 18, UK HB p.654 Cotillion stated that the Deragoth were originally wild beasts of past ages of which seven were left whom the First Emperor choose as the repositories of his divided soul.Toll the Hounds, Chapter 18, UK HB p.656 In Dust of Dreams Dead Hedge alluded to his squad that he had been chased by Deragoth'.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 16, UK HB p.551 It was stated by Mappo Runt that a species of Plains Bear was utilized in the breeding of the Deragoth, and that the Ay were used in breeding the Hounds of Shadow. Though whether or not this was true and how Mappo would have known this was yet unknown. Speculations The Hounds of Shadow, Doan and Ganrod, who traveled into the Gate of Darkness within Dragnipur, traveled across the Jaghut Death Bridge towards the statues wherein resided the Deragoth. There is speculation that the arrival of these two Hounds of Shadow had some significance towards the awakening of the two Deragoth who first attacked Onrack then Sha'ik's camp. The Jaghut Ganath asserted that the seven Deragoth were the seven "surviving" Deragoth, implying there were once many more. Notes and references pl:Deragoth Category:D'ivers Category:Hounds